Process for preparing gonahexaenes



United States Patent Claims. (Cl. 260-397.45)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with a process of preparing gona 1,3,5(10),6,8,14 hexaene by contacting a 1 gona l,3,5(10),8,14 pentaene with an oxidizing catalyst in a reaction-inert solvent in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor at a temperature range of about 100 C. to about 180 C. for a period of about a half hour to about twenty hours. The gona 1,3,5(10),6,8,14 hexaenes prepared by the process of this invention are useful in the preparation of gona 1,3,5 (10),6,8 pentaene steroids which are useful as estrogenic agents.

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This application is a continuationin-part of copending US. patent application, Ser. No. 544,682, filed on Apr. 25, 1966, entitled, Process for Preparing Gona-hexaenones which has now been abandoned.

This invention relates to a new and novel process for preparing gonahexaenes. In particular, the present invention is concerned with a method for synthesizing gona- 1,3,5(l0),6,8,l4-hexaenes.

The novel process of this invention is utilized to wherein R is lower alkyl; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkoxy and lower alkanoyloXy; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyloxy; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkonoyloxy with the proviso that at least one of R and R is hydrogen; and when R and R are taken together they are selected from the group consisting of 0x0 and ethylenedioxy.

Typical examples of these compounds include: 135- ethyl 3 methoxygona 1,3,5(l0),6,8,14 hexaen 17- one; 3 methoxy 13p propyl gona 1,3,5(10),6,8,l4- hexaen 17 one; 3 acetoxy 13B methylgona 1,3, 5(l0),6,8,14 hexaen 17 one; 135 methyl 3- methoxygona 1,3,5(l0),6,8,14 hexaen 17,8 01 and 17 8 acetoxy 13,8 ethyl 3 methoxygona 1,3,5(10), 6,8,14 hexaene.

The new and novel process of the present invention comprises the preparation of gona 1,3,5(10),6,8,14- hexaenes by the selective catalytic dehydrogenation of the 6-position of gona-1,3,5(10),8,I l-pentaenes.

3,410,879 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 The following reaction scheme illustrates this novel process:

R R L l l/\/ a Dehydrotion gene 1) wherein R, R R and R are defined] as above; the dehydrogenation reaction is eifected by heating an appropriate gona 1,3,5(10),8,14 pentaen 17 one (I) in a reaction inert solvent, in the presence of an oxidizing catalyst and a hydrogen acceptor, at a temperature range from about C. to about C. for a period of from about one-halt hour to about thirty hours. Preferably, this reaction is conducted in p-isopropyl-toluene, in the presence of palladized charcoal and methyl cinnamate, at reflux temperatures for about one hour. After the selective dehydrogenetion reaction is complete, the resulting gona 1,3,5 (l0),6,8,14 hexaene is obtained by r conventional methods such as, filtration, concentration and crystallization.

The gona l,3,5(l0),8,14 pentaene (I) starting materials utilized in the process of the present invention are known compounds which are described or prepared by prior art procedures. The gona 1,3,5 (10),8,14-pentaene starting materials, with the exception of the 17a-lower alkanoyloxygona 1,3,5(10),8,14 pentaenes, may be prepared by the procedure described by Smith et al. in J.C.S., pp. 44724492 (1964) and by Hughes et al, in US. 3,202,686, issued on August 24, 1965, entitled Preparation of 13 alkylgona 1,3,5(1O),8,14 pentaenes. The 17cc lower alkanoyloxygona 1,3,5 10), 8,14 pentaenes may be prepared by the procedure described by Gibian et al. in Tetrahedron Letters No. 21, p. 2321 (1966). By reaction-inert solvent as employed herein is meant a solvent which dissolves the reactants and does not prevent their interaction, such as, xylene, toluene, p isopropyl toluene, diethyleneglycol dimethylether and diethyleneglycol diethylether. The term oxidizing catalyst as employed above includes among others palladized charcoal and metallic platinum black. Further, the expression hydrogen acceptor refers to unsaturated organic compounds which are easily reduced by the addition of hydrogen, e.g. methyl cinnamate, diethyl maleate, ethyl acrylate and acetylene dicarboxylic acid dirnethyl ester.

The gona-l,3,5(l0),6,8,l4-hexaenes (II) prepared by the process of this invention are useful intermediates in the preparation of gona-1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaene steroids which are useful as estrogenic agents. The process of hydrogenating the gona-1,3,5(l0),6,8,14-hexaen-17-ones (II), which may be prepared by the process of this invention to obtain the corresponding gona-1,3,5(10),)6,3- pentaen-17-ones and, if desired, the subsequent hydrolysis of a 3-position lower alkoxy or lower alkanoyloxy group to yield an appropriate 3-hydroxygona-1,3,5( 10),6,8-pentaen-l7-one is described by Johnson, W. S., et. al. in J.A.C.S. 69, 2942-2955 (1947).

It will be apparent from the disclosure herein to those skilled in the art that for the purposes of this invention, certain atoms of the benzenoid portion of the starting compounds could be otherwise substituted or be substistituted with groups which do not interfere with the subsequent reactions. Thus, at the l, 2 or 4 positions, an alkyl (e.g. methyl and propyl), an alkoxy (e.g. methoxy and butoxy), or a halogen (e.g. chloro and bromo) groups could be present in lieu of hydrogen. When the starting compounds are substituted as hereinbefore recited, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art of chemistry that the compounds prepared iby the process of this invention will bear correspondingly the same substituents. Thus, for the process of this invention and for the products produced thereby, such groups are the full equivalents of the claimed invention.

While the compounds of this invention are named to describe the configuration corresponding to that of natural steroids, it is to be understood that unless otherwise indicated, the product of each of the reactions is a racemic mixture containing the named compound and its enantiomorph.

The following examples are given by way of illustration and are not to be construed as limitations of this invention, many variations of which are possible without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

Example I A mixture of 13/8-ethyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),8,14- pentaen-17-one (20 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (20 g.), p-isopropyltluene (520 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (33 g.) is refluxed in a nitrogen stream for one hour. After filtration and removal of volatile organics by vacuum distillation, a red gum is obtained which crystallizes upon scratching with cold methanol. Recrystallization from acetone yields 13fl-ethyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(l0), 6,8,14-hexaen-17-one (7.7 g.), M.P. 145150 C.;

Example II Hydrogenation of the above prepared 13fl-ethyl-3- methoxygona-1,3,5(10),6,8,14-hexaen-17-one (3.0 g.) is accomplished using palladium on charcoal (3 g.) in ethyl acetate (500 ml.) to yield l3 8-ethyl-3-methoxygona- 1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaen-17-one, (1.56 g.), M.P. 175179 C This methyl ether (1.56 g.) is cleaved using acetic acid (97 ml.), hydrochloric acid ml.) and Water (11 ml.) and refluxing the mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere for seventeen hours. A crystalline product separates from the reaction mixture which upon recrystallization from acetone-methanol yields 13B-ethyl-3-hydroxygona 1,3,5 (l0),6,8-pentaen-17-one (1.17 g.), M.P. 254258 0; 122,2? 232 m (e=62,300), 272 (4,450), 283 (5,000), 294 (3,700), 332 (1,600), 343 (2,100)

Calculated for C H O C, 81.39; H, 7.19. Found: C, 81.52; H, 6.92.

Example III A 231 m (e=53,700), 268 (4,570), 278 (5,700), 289

max.

This compound is then refluxed with acetic acid and hydrochloric acid, under nitrogen, for twenty hours to 4 yield S-hydroxy-13,8-n1ethylgona 1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaen- 17-one, M.P. 274-275 C.;

A522 231 mp. (e=62,900), 270 (2,300), 281 (2,660), 292 (1,800), 327 (1,100), 341 (1,200)

Calculated for C H O C, 81.17; H, 6.81. Found: C, 80.92; H, 6.56.

Example IV A mixture of 3-butoxy-13,8-methylgona-1,3,5(10),8,14- pentaen-17-one (5 g.), 2% palladium on charcoal (12.5 g.), diethyleneglycol dimethylether (150 ml.) and ethyl acrylate (10 g.) is heated to reflux under nitrogen for ten hours. After filtration and removal of volatile organics by vacuum distillation, the residue is crystallized from propanol. Recrystallization from methanol yields 3- butoxy-l3,B-methylgona-1,3,5(10),6,8,14-hexaen-17-one.

Example V Example VI A mixture of 3-methoxy-13fl+propylgona-1,3,5(10),8, l4-pentaen-17-one (40 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (40 g.), p-isopropyl-toluene (1,000 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (65 g.) is heated to 125 C. under nitrogen for three hours. After filtration and removal of volatile organics by vacuum distillation, the residue is crystallized from methanol. Recrystallization from acetone yields 3- methoxy 13 9 propylgona 1,3,5(10),6,8,14 hexaen- 17-one, M.P. 120 C.,

x553? 254 m (e=49,800), 263 (50,950), 296 (16,500), 307 (14,800), 334 (3,130), 347 (2,850)

Example VII The above prepared B-methoxy-l3fl-propylgona-1,3,5 (10),6,8,14-hexaen-17-one is hydrogenated in the presence of palladized charcoal in ethyl acetate to obtain 3- rnethoxy 1373 propylgona 1,3,5(10),6,8 pentaen-l7- one, M.P. 132-140 C. This pentaenone is then refluxed with acetic and hydrochloric acid, under helium for fifteen hours to yield 3 hydroxy-l3,8-propylgona-1,3,5(10), 6,8-pentaen-17-one, M.P. 234237 C.,

A222? 233 m (e=57,700), 273 (3,900), 283 (4,400), 294 (3,300), 334 (2,000), 342 (2,200)

Calculated for C H O C, 81.60; H, 7.53. Found: C, 81.47; H, 7.25.

Example VIII A mixture of 3-acetoxy-13firnethylgona-l,3,5(10),8, l4-pentaen-17-one (20 g.), powdered platinum black (1 g.), xylene (500 ml.) and acetylene dicarboxylic acid dimethyl ester (30 g.) is heated to reflux under nitrogen for one-half hour. After filtration and removal of volatile organics by vacuum distillation, the residue is crystallized from methanol. Recrystallization from acetone yields 3- acetoxy-13 ,B-methylgona-L3,5 10) ,6, 8, 14-hexaen-l7-one.

Similarly, 13,3 ethyl 3 propionyloxygona 1,3,5 (10),8,l4-pentaen-l7-one is converted to 13,8-ethyl-3- propionyloxygona-1,3,5 10),6,8,14-hexaen-17-one.

Example IX A mixture of 3-butyryloxy-13fl-methylgona-1,3,5(10), 8,l4-pentaen-17-one (10 g.), 2% palladium on charcoal (25 g.), diethyleneglycol diethylether (300 ml.) and cinnamate (16.5 g.) is heated to reflux under helium for five hours. After filtration and removal of volatile organics by vacuum distillation, the residue is crystallized from ethanol. Recrystallization from ethanol yields 3- butyryloxy 13p Lmethylgona 1,3,5(10),6,8,14-hexaen- 17-one.

The above prepared S-butyryloxy-l35-methylgona-L3, 5 (10),6,8,14-hexaen-17-one is hydrogenated in the presence of 10% palladium charcoal in ethyl acetate to yield 3 butyryloxy 13B methylgona 1,3,5( l),6,8-pentaen- 17-one which is then refluxed with acetic and hydrochloric acid, under nitrogen, for fifteen hours, to yield 3- hydroxy-l3B-methylgona-1,3,5( 10),6,8-pentaen-17-one.

Example X A mixture of 13/3-methyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),8, 14-pentaen-17fl-ol (5 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (5 g), p-isopropyl-toluene (150 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (3.5 g.) is refluxed for one hour in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The catalyst is filtered otf and the filtrate is evaporated to afford 13fl-methyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5 ,6,8, 14-hexaen- 175-01.

The above prepared 13B-ethyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5 (10),6,8,14-hexaen-17fi-o1 (1.0 g.) in ethanol (30 ml.) is shaken with 5% palladium on charcoal (1.0 g.) in an atmosphere of hydrogen until uptake ceases. The catalyst is filtered oil and the filtrate evaporated to obtain 13;;- methyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaen-17,B-ol. This alcohol (0.5 g.) is refluxed with aluminum isopropoxide (0.4 g.) in dry toluene (25 ml.) and dry cyclohexanone (5 co.) in an atmosphere of nitrogen for two hours. The cooled solution is decomposed with water (1.0 cc) and dried by adding sodium sulfate. The mixture is filtered and the filtrate evaporated to leave a residue which is crystallized from ethanol to afford 13b-methyl-3- methoxygona-1,3,5 10) ,6,8-pentaen-17-one.

Example XI A mixture of 13/3-methyl-3,l7fl-dimethoxygona-1,3,5 (l0),8,l4-pentaene (5.0 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (5.0 g.), p-isopropyl-toluene (100 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (8 g.) is refluxed under nitrogen for two hours. The catalyst is filtered off and the filtrate evaporated to obtain 13/3 methyl 3,17 6 dimethoxygona 1,3,5 (10), 6,8, l4-hexaene.

Hydrogenation of the above prepared 13p-methyl-3, 17fl-dimethoxygona-1,3,5(10),6 ,8,14-hexaene (1.0 g.) is carried out using 5% palladium on charcoal (1.0 g.) in ethyl acetate (50 ml.) to yield 13/3-rnethyl-3,17,8-dimethoxygona-1,3,5(l0),6,8-pentaene. This pentaene (0.5 g.) is heated with 3 N methyl magnesium iodide in ether (15 ml.) at 100 C. to evaporate the solvent and then fused at 165 C. in an atmosphere of nitrogen for two hours. The mixture is cooled to 80 C. and decomposed by adding ethyl acetate followed by saturated aqueous ammonium chloride. The mixture is acidified with dilute hydrochloric acid and extracted with chloroform. The organic extract is washed with brine and evaporated to yield 13/3 methylgona-1,3,5 1-0),6,8-pentaene-3,17p-diol.

Example XII A mixture of 17/8-acetoxy-13,8-ethyl-3-methoxygona- 1,3,5(l0),8,14-pentaene (10 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (10 g.), p-isopropyl-toluene (25 0 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (7 g.) is refluxed for one hour in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The catalyst is filtered off and the filtrate evaporated to give '17fl-acetoxy-13,3-ethyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5 10) ,6,'8,14 hexaene.

The above prepared 17',8-acetoxy-IBB-ethyl-Ia-methoxygona-l,3,5(10),6,8,14-hexaene (2.0 g.) is hydrogenated in ethyl acetate (100 ml.) with 5% palladium on charcoal (2.0 g.) to give 17,8-acetoxy-l3fi-ethyl-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaene.

6 Example XIII A mixture of 13B-methyl-17,17-ethylenedioxy-3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),8,14-pentaene (10 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (10 g.), p-isopropyl-toluene (250 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (7.0 g.) is refluxed for one hour in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The catalyst is filtered off and the filtrate is evaporated. The residue is recrystallized from ethanol to give 13fl-methyl-1 7,17-ethylenedioxy-3- methoxygona-1,3,5 (1 0) ,6,8,14-hexaene.

The above prepared 13p-methyl-17,17 ethylenedioxy-3- methoxygona-1,3,5(l-0),6,8,14-hexaene (2 g.) is shaken in an atmosphere of hydrogen with 10% palladium on charcoal (2 g.) in ethyl acetate (50 ml.) until uptake ceases. The catalyst is filtered off and the filtrate is evaporated to give 13fl-methyl-17,l7-ethylenedioxy3-methoxygona-1,3,5(10),6,8-pentaene. Treatment of the material (1 g.) in tetrahydrofuran (5 cc.), ethanol (5 cc.) and 6 N hydrochloric acid (3 cc.), on conventional work-up, yields 13 B-methyl-B-methoxygona-1,3,5 10) ,6, 8-pentaen- 17-one.

Example XIV A mixture of 13fl-ethyl-l7,17-ethylenedioxy-3-methoxygona-l,3,5(10),8,l4-pentaene ('10 g.), 5% palladium on charcoal (10 g.), p-isopropyl-toluene (250 ml.) and methyl cinnamate (7.0 g.) is refluxed under nitrogen for two hours. The catalyst is filtered olf and the filtrate Example XV Repeating the procedure of the previous examples, the hereinafter listed pentaenes are converted to their corresponding hexaenes:

Pentaenes Hexaenes 178-hutyryloxy-E-methoxy-lllfi- 17B-butyryl-3-methoxy-13flmethylgona-l, 3, 5(10), 8, 14- methylgona-l, 3, 5(10), 6, 8, 14-

pentaene. l7a-acetoxy-3-methoxy-13fl methylgona-l, 3, 5(10), 8,14- pentaene. 3-ethoxy-13y3-ethyl-lhpropionyloxygona-l, 3, 5 (10), 8,14pentaene.

hexaene. 17a-aeetoxy-3-methoxy-13B- methylgona-1,3 5(10), 6, 8, 14- hexaene. 3-eth0yx-13fl-ethyl-lh-propionyloxygona-l, 3, 5 (10), 6, 8, 14- hexaene.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for the production of a gona-l,3,5(10), 6,8,l4-hexaene which comprises contacting a gona-l,3,5 (1-0),8,14-pentaene with an oxidizing catalyst selected from the group consisting of palladized charcoal and metallic platinum black in a reaction-inert solvent in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor at a temperature range of from about C. to about 180 C. for a period of from about one-half hour to about twenty hours.

2. A process for the production of a compound selected from the group consisting of those having the formula:

wherein R is lower alkyl and R is selected from the group consisting of lower alkoxy and lower alkanoyloxy; and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyloxy; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkanoyloxy with the proviso that one of R and R is hydrogen and that both R and R are not hydrogen; and when R and R are taken together they are selected from the group consisting of oxo and ethylenedioxy which comprises contacting a compound of the formula:

wherein R, R R and R are defined as above, with an oxidizing catalyst selected from the group consisting of palladized charcoal and metallic platinum black in a reaction-inert solvent in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor at a temperature that is in the range of from about 100 C. to about 180 C. for a period of from about onehalf hour to about twenty hours.

3. A process as described in claim 2 wherein the oxidizing catalyst consists of about five percent palladium on charcoal and the hydrogen acceptor is selected from the group consisting of methyl cinnamate, diethyl maleate, ethyl acrylate and acetylene dicarboxylic acid dimethyl ester.

4. A process as described in claim 2 wherein a gonal,3,5(10),6,8,14-hexaen-l7-one is produced by refluxing a gona-l,3,5(10),8,l4-hexaen-l7-one with palladized charcoal, in the presence of methyl cinnamate, in p-isopropyl-toluene for about one hour.

5. A process as described in claim 2 wherein l3B-ethyl- 3-methoxygona-l,3,5(10),6,8,l4-hexaen-l7-one is produced by refluxing l3B-ethyl-3-methoxygona-l,3,5(l0),8, l4-pentaen-l7-one with palladized charcoal, in the presence of methyl cinnamate, in p-isopropyl-toluene for about one hour.

References Cited S. N. Ananchenko et al., Tetrahedron Letters No. 23, 1963, pp. 1553l558.

LEWIS GOTTS, Primary Examiner.

E. G. LOVE, Assistant Examiner. 

